Automatic telegraph-key closer.



1). B. MOTZ & I. B. HATFIELD. AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH KEY CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 4, 1910.

1,002,735. A Pa ent d Sept. 5,1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOBACE E. MOTZ AND FREDERICK B. HATFIELD, OF LA JARA, COLORADO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5,1911.

Application filed October 4, 1910. Serial No. 585,252.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DORACE E. Mom and FREDERICK l3. HATFIELD, citizens of the United States, residing at La Jara, in the county of Conejos and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Telegraph-Key Closers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to telegraph keys and has special reference to what are known as self closing telegraph keys in which the ordinary switch for closing the circuit is dispensed with and a secondary lever employed which automatically closes the circuit when the key lever is not in use.

The invention has for its object to provide an improvement in key levers of this kind, which will be simple in construction, and which will be so arranged and adjusted in reference to the key lever that it may readily be manipulated to keep the circuit open when the key lever is in use and will automatically close the circuit when the telegraph key is not being used.

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure l is a plan view of an improved telegraph key constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side view in longitudinal section. Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail view of a secondary lever.

In the accompanying drawing 1 indicates the metallic base of an ordinary telegraph key mounted on a suitable insulating support 2 and secured thereto by means of screws 3 and 4, the screw 4 depending from the base 1, and being secured to the insulating support 2 by means of a wing nut l, and the'screw 3 projecting up through the base 1, and secured by a nut 3, through an insulating block 5 terminating in a contact 6, with which the contact 7 on the key lever 8 is adapted to contact, the key lever 8 having a button 9, and being mounted on a rotary shaft 10 having its bearings in the set screws 11 mounted in the bearings 11 on the base 1. The lever 8 is held up with its contact 7 out of contact with the contact 6 by means of a spring 12 mounted on a bent strip of metal 12 resting partly on the support 2 and partly on the base 1 beneath the insulating block 5. Connected with the upper end of the, spring 12 is the lower end of a set screw 13 adjustable through the key lever 8, and having a head 14: and a jam nut 15 located above the key lever 8. The rear end of the key lever 8 is provided with a set screw 16 having a head 17, and a jam nut 18.

Mounted above the key lever 8 is a secondary lever 19 formed of resilient material, and having its rear end formed with an angular chair 20 having arms 20 which straddle the set screw 16 and are clamped against the key lever 8 by means of the jam nut 18. The secondary lever 19 is formed with an elongated slot 21 through which projects the set screw 13, the secondary lever 19 having free play on the set screw 13. The inner end of the secondary lever 19 is slightly bent upward and is provided with an inclined finger piece 22 curved at its outer end 22 being so spaced apart from the button 9 as to be raised by the finger which is inserted between it and the button 9 when the key lever 8 is manipulated. The secondary lever 19 is provided with a depending metallic strip 23 having a curved lower end 2 1 which normally rests in contact with the spring clip 25, the spring clip 25 being mounted 011 the upper end of and connected with the screw 3. The spring clip 25 which is slightly raised above the base 1 is the ordinary spring clip which is used with the ordinary switch which has been dispensed with here, and Which would, if in use, be pivoted at the point 26 of the base 1.

The ordinary switch lever just referred to is well known as the lever which closes the circuit when the telegraph key is not in use. By dispensing with this switch lever and substituting the secondary lever 19, no separate manipulation is required to close the circuit when the key lever is not being used.

It will be seen by the construction hereinbefore set forth that when the operator grasps the button 9, the insertion of his finger between the button 9 and the finger piece 22 will cause the latter to be raised to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and thereby raise the end 24: of the dependlng strip 28 out of contact with the spring clip 25, thereby breaking the circuit. So long as the key lever is in use the end 24- of the depending strip 23 will be out of contact with the spring clip 25 but when the operator ceases using the key lever 8, and removes his fingers from the button 9, the end 24L of the strip 23 will drop into contact with the spring clip 25 and automatically close the circuit.

the base to :close the circuit, the outer end i i said s c nd ry l v r h ving a finger .pro-

jection placed above the button of the key lever, and separable therefrom by the insertion of the finger of the operator of the key lever, and held in elevated position to open the circuit during the operation of the key lever.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

DORACE E. MOTZ. FREDERICK B. HATFIELD.

tVitnesses H. S. MOORE, I H. G. IIALL.

Copies of this patent may he ob'tainedjo-r five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents.

Washington, D. C. 

